The head of Hong Kong prominent journalists’ group, Ronson Chan, has been sentenced to five days in jail for obstructing police officers in a case dating back to September last year.
Chan, who serves as the chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, found himself detained and handcuffed by two plainclothes officers while he was covering a story. The incident occurred after he refused to hand over his personal identity card to the police.
Despite pleading not guilty, Chan had explained to the court that he had requested to see the officers’ warrant cards before complying with their demand for his identification, a requirement for all Hong Kong residents.
Magistrate Leung Ka-kie ultimately ruled Chan as guilty, stating that a mere fine would not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offense. Additionally, she declined to consider community service as an alternative, citing a lack of remorse on Chan’s part.
Following the judgment, Chan was granted bail in the amount of HK$30,000 ($3,838.48) after his legal team announced plans to appeal the verdict. However, as part of the bail conditions, the journalist is restricted from leaving Hong Kong and had to surrender his travel documents.
Speaking after the court session, Chan expressed little surprise at the custodial sentence, stating, “Everyone can see how the court views the case. I think justice is in our heart.” A date for the appeal has yet to be determined.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association stands as one of the last significant professional organizations in the city advocating for fundamental rights and press freedoms. This case comes in the wake of the enactment of a national security law by Chinese authorities in June 2020, a law that has drawn criticism from some Western governments for being repressive, considering the freedoms previously granted to Hong Kong after its return to Chinese rule in 1997. Beijing and Hong Kong officials have argued that the law was necessary to restore stability following months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.
